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Lord Of The Rings Gender Analysis

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1 A short introduction to the Lord of the Rings novels
Clearly one of the most influential texts of modern day fantasy literature and probably the founding father of medieval fantasy, Tolkien 's works have received a great deal of criticism largely regarding its attitude toward traditional gender roles. Namely, progressive, feminist readers quickly note that The Lord of the Rings seems to champion the classical gender roles seemingly based on a long gone chauvinistic society: a fellowship of nine male companions sets out to save Middle Earth, men march into battle for honour and glory, and rule as kings while women, as rare as they may be, stay at home and tend to house and hearth, or are fair maidens far off from battle and action.
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A deeper look into his texts provides a wild assortment of non-traditional performances of gender, both for the few female characters who grace the novels ' hundreds of pages and the males who dominate them. But there are at least five women who stand out and even play crucial roles for the plot with their supernatural or magical powers.

2.1 Goldberry

Of the first woman of some importance in the story the first is Goldberry, Daughter of the River and wife of Old Tom Bombadill. Both are ageless, but Tom is cast as an old, autumnal spirit of nature, whereas Goldberry is described entirely in images of spring, natural beauty and life she has a "clear, maiden- like voice", and the "slender grace of her movement filled them with quiet delight".1
She has long yellow hair rippling down to her shoulder wearing a green gown shot with silver like morning dew, when the Hobbits first meet her, and is cheerful and happy. She and Tom are depicted as a perfectly in accordance. Domestically, they almost magically produce delicious feasts, weaving "a single dance" as they wait on the Hobbits. At their parting the Hobbits see her "small and slender like a sunlit flower against the sky".2 She seems pure and fresh which clearly rubs off onto the Hobbits who are their guests after being saved by Tom

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